


Day 276

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [276]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26804944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [276]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 276

Gerolf took a moment to compose himself before stepping off the boat and into the Gallows. His wife, Alvira, had not felt up to coming today and he couldn’t blame her. They had spent days knowing that Roland was probably dead but without the certainty of a body. The confirmation that had come that morning was a cruel kind of relief. They had both finally allowed themselves to cry and were figuring out how best to mourn their only son.

He hadn’t even been killed by a mage like they expected. When Gerolf had asked, a pointless question in retrospect, the templar at their door had admitted he and his fellows were believed to have been killed by a knife. Gerolf knew that many were becoming mistrustful of the order, though he supposed he never expected that it was bad enough that they would attack templars in the street. 

The templar had offered to bring Roland’s possessions to them but Gerolf had refused. Roland had never wanted Gerolf or Alvira to visit him in the Gallows. It seemed silly but seeing where he had lived felt like the last chance Gerolf had to connect with his son before saying his final goodbye.

The templar quarters were full of knights and recruits going about their business. The young woman who had bet him at the dock directed Gerolf to Roland’s bunk before leaving him to go about her duties. There was already someone there, rummaging through Roland’s belongings.

“What are you doing?” Gerolf called out. The young man gave a small start and turned to face Gerolf. He was holding what looked like a necklace of ears, some human and some elven. The templar tried to hide the gruesome thing behind his back but he was not fast enough.

“What’s that?” Gerolf asked. The templar circled Gerolf, turning as he moved to keep facing Gerolf so the necklace remained hidden.

“Nothing,” he mumbled. “Roldan borrowed something from me before he died, is all. I was just taking it back seeing as how he can’t.” The templar fled, leaving a concerned and perplexed Gerolf next to Roldand’s bunk. He didn’t know how to go about tracking down the templar who had run off with the ear necklace but it wasn’t something he wanted to tack back home to Alvira anyway.

Cautiously, Gerolf started sorting through Roland’s personal chest. There were some casual clothes. He picked out the least worn of these to dress Roland for his pyre. The rest he folded and put in a knapsack. Gerolf and Roland were close enough in size that Gerolf could wear his son’s clothes. He had few enough outfits of his own that he could not afford to waste any of them.

The next thing he collected was a jar with a scarf inside. Every year for his name-day, his mother had knitted him a new scarf and scented it with wood from Gerolf’s workshop to remind him of home and family. It had been six months since his last name-day but, inside the jar, the scarf still held its scent as though it were fresh. Gerolf broke down crying again, thinking about his little boy sitting alone in this hall of stone and magic, clinging to the scent of home. The templars around pointedly ignored his breakdown. When he composed himself he examined the last item in the chest. It was a diary. Gerolf thought about leaving it unread, preserving his son’s privacy, but his curiosity got the better of him.

He flipped through the pages until he reached a description of Roland’s first encounter with a maleficar. 

‘My entire arm was burned and blistering from the flames but I still managed to drive my blade into his wicked heart. Sir. Aulric said I should be proud. I did not falter in my duty for a moment. I noticed one of the meleficar’s ears had been sliced off in the fight and kept it to remind me of this day.’

Gerolf had to take a moment after reading that part. The necklace had been Roland’s after all. The other templar must have been trying to hide it from Gerolf so he would not learn that his son was keeping trophies from his kills. It was a bit disturbing but Gerold knew that he had no idea what it was like to be a templar. To be constantly ready to lay down your life to fight the dangers of magic and to protect the Maker’s children. He kept reading.

‘They brought in a new robe today, a blonde little elf girl. She is prettier than most of the other mages here… She had started avoiding me, making excuses whenever I showed up. I’m pretty sure she switched fields of study so our schedules wouldn’t line up as much… Sir. Aulric said he would take care of everything. He has rigorous notes on all the mages based on how likally they are to become maleficar. He sais no one will ask me questions. At least I have one more ear for my collection.’

Gerolf slammed the book closed. He suddenly felt like he had no idea who his son had been. The man who had written this diary was not the boy Gerolf had raised. He put the diary back into the chest and closed the lid. He would take this secret to his grave, he could not bear for Alvira to know this. The son she would remember was the one that had kept her scarfs in a jar so that he could smell a piece of home with him year round. 

Gerolf slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way back to the waterfront. He wanted to be done with this place as soon as possible.


End file.
